Bruised. I think God's telling me to slow down.
A few days ago, as I was walking to the bus stop, I saw the bus coming...not far off. I still had to cross the street. So I did so, running, and barely made it on the bus.
The next day, the same thing happened. Only this time, I was a few feet away from the bus when the bus driver decided to close the door and continue on his way. But I kept running, so he stopped. Unfortunately, I was so excited that I didn't miss the bus, that I tripped and hit my knee as soon as I got on the bus. That's not all. Then I tried to swipe my card. 40 centavos. Not enough. A bus ride is 1.5 pesos. I switched my cards (because I had two, and I knew one had credit), but alas, it showed 40 centavos yet again. (I thought I had switched the cards, but I actually swiped the same one again). That exact same thing happened one more time before I finally switched the cards for real. Credit left after swiping the card: 13.50 pesos. Ahh...safe. However, after I got on the bus, I was too embarrassed to look at anyone's faces so I firmly stared out the window until I started laughing to myself. Gosh, I can be such a clutz!
That evening Kim, Veronique, and Shivani came over to hang out and watch a movie. We got our dulce de leche cappuchino and had a ball, singing and "playing" guitar. Well, we were watching the movie upstairs in Vale's room when the phone rang downstairs. I didn't hear it at first, so when I did, I ran to get it because no one else was home. Next thing I know, I was sitting on my sore cachetas. I slipped on the first two stairs and fell down, saved only by the bar next to the stairs (which actually isn't very stable - I bent it). If I didn't instinctively grab the bar, I would have tumbled down the stairs, which wouldn't have been very pretty. When I went to bed, for the first time in weeks, I didn't fall asleep almost instantly. I had to thank God for saving me. I hit my head when I fell and my back's a bit sore, but nothing serious. It could've been much worse.
I had this feeling. After all this running and falling, etc., I think God is telling me to slow down in life. I'm the kind of person that is always on the go. I need to...breathe.
viernes, 20 de junio de 2008
lunes, 16 de junio de 2008
Las Huelgas - The Strikes!!!!
Gosh...it's so weird to be in a country when there are strikes going on! A few days ago, I was watching the news in the gym, and I saw trucks blocking the roads. The government brought out the military. I believe a few people were slightly injured...
I pray that all the students get back to Cordoba safely today.
Right now, from 8-8:15, the whole country is uniting in trying to tell the government and the farmers to come to an agreement. For 15 minutes, people around the country are doing three things 1) turning off all their house lights, 2) hitting pots/pans, 3) honking their car horns. It's sooo loud outside.
On Saturday, Shivani and I counted about 50 cars waiting in line to fill up gas. I just got a text from Shivani saying that today she counted 72 cars waiting in line!!!!
Shiv and I decided to interview someone at the back of the line on Saturday. The guy we chose to interview works for Schlumberger, and he goes to Sugar Land every few months! How crazy is that! We talked outside and then had coffee in the nearby cafe.
When I went to the grocery store, there were limits on the amount of food you can buy. Most said that you can take a maximum of three units per family for items like bread, milk, eggs, and much more. There was no vegetable oil. It was so strange...
Pray that there will be peace between the farmers and the government.
I pray that all the students get back to Cordoba safely today.
Right now, from 8-8:15, the whole country is uniting in trying to tell the government and the farmers to come to an agreement. For 15 minutes, people around the country are doing three things 1) turning off all their house lights, 2) hitting pots/pans, 3) honking their car horns. It's sooo loud outside.
On Saturday, Shivani and I counted about 50 cars waiting in line to fill up gas. I just got a text from Shivani saying that today she counted 72 cars waiting in line!!!!
Shiv and I decided to interview someone at the back of the line on Saturday. The guy we chose to interview works for Schlumberger, and he goes to Sugar Land every few months! How crazy is that! We talked outside and then had coffee in the nearby cafe.
When I went to the grocery store, there were limits on the amount of food you can buy. Most said that you can take a maximum of three units per family for items like bread, milk, eggs, and much more. There was no vegetable oil. It was so strange...
Pray that there will be peace between the farmers and the government.
Las Sierras - Cuesta Blanca
Yesterday morning, Shivani and I went with other students to Las Sierras - Cuesta Blanca. It was the first non-program trip I took, and I didn't want to believe I was going until I actually got there. (Although I think the government put an end to the strikes.) I was really excited about being in the mountains while getting to know other students (Preston, Agnes, Ashley, Tony, Jeb "Ozulitos", Priya, Jared). The bus ride up to the sierras took 1 1/2 hrs. First, we ate lunch on the rocks by the river. Shivani wanted to eat her lunch on a rock in the middle of the river. So, being so courageous, she jumped onto a rock, and "splash!" she slipped... Pobrecita, she was wet the whole day. Although we couldn't find the waterfall, the area was absolutely gorgeous. We struggled together through thorns and had fun all the way through. We climbed to what it seemed was a deep well and sat and admired nature for a little while before we climbed to safety. We relaxed, ate and drank for a little while before we headed back home.
Nature is amazing.
Nature is amazing.
viernes, 13 de junio de 2008
Volunteer Day at Fundacion Causana
Last Saturday afternoon, about 6 students from the program went to volunteer at Fundacion Causana, where I'm interning. At first, I wasn't sure how all the students would react when they met the patients because on my first day, I was scared. The volunteer coordinator spoke a little about Fundacion Causana, and then we took at tour of the house. 
After the tour, it was time to take the kids from the dining room to the little park outside. Andres, one of the more handicapped patients, was making really loud noises. I heard someone say, "That's kind of scary." He's the only patient I am still a little scared to approach. (Actually, now I'm scared of another boy at the home. He doesn't sit still. One day, I was sitting close to him, and he pulled my hair and grabbed my arm really hard. The thing is, he didn't realize what he was doing, which made me feel really sad...)
I could tell that some of the students were a little uncomfortable at first. I could see the same nervous smiles that I had on my first day at Fundacion Causana. When I took the hand of one of the girls, she had a broad smile on her face, which made my day. This is the same girl that I was scared to take to wash her hands because she kept staring at me without uttering a word.
All the students were GREAT with the kids. We played with the kids, talked to them (they couldn't say anything back, but you could tell that they cared), danced with them, sang... My heart melted when I saw Mark tickling one of the boys. I've never seen the little boy laugh like that! I remember Kelvin playing games with a boy. Sometimes it's really hard to know if you're making a difference to the kids. My eyes were fixated on one boy, Jose Louis. (I later found out that he has the same birthday as me!) He was just so precious. I started singing to him and holding his hand. I didn't know if he was listening or could feel my hand. He sat limply, his eyes staring into space and his head bent to the side. After about 5 minutes, I got up to go to another kids, but then I felt a hand grab my finger. I was moved. We were making a difference in their lives. We were showing them love.
After the tour, it was time to take the kids from the dining room to the little park outside. Andres, one of the more handicapped patients, was making really loud noises. I heard someone say, "That's kind of scary." He's the only patient I am still a little scared to approach. (Actually, now I'm scared of another boy at the home. He doesn't sit still. One day, I was sitting close to him, and he pulled my hair and grabbed my arm really hard. The thing is, he didn't realize what he was doing, which made me feel really sad...)
I could tell that some of the students were a little uncomfortable at first. I could see the same nervous smiles that I had on my first day at Fundacion Causana. When I took the hand of one of the girls, she had a broad smile on her face, which made my day. This is the same girl that I was scared to take to wash her hands because she kept staring at me without uttering a word.
All the students were GREAT with the kids. We played with the kids, talked to them (they couldn't say anything back, but you could tell that they cared), danced with them, sang... My heart melted when I saw Mark tickling one of the boys. I've never seen the little boy laugh like that! I remember Kelvin playing games with a boy. Sometimes it's really hard to know if you're making a difference to the kids. My eyes were fixated on one boy, Jose Louis. (I later found out that he has the same birthday as me!) He was just so precious. I started singing to him and holding his hand. I didn't know if he was listening or could feel my hand. He sat limply, his eyes staring into space and his head bent to the side. After about 5 minutes, I got up to go to another kids, but then I felt a hand grab my finger. I was moved. We were making a difference in their lives. We were showing them love.
jueves, 12 de junio de 2008
Speaking Partner and Church
Since we didn't get to go to Iguazu last weekend, I got to spend time with my speaking partner, who's extremely agradable (amiable?). On Friday, we went to Casa Tomada (I think that's the name...) On the first floor there were little artesan shops, and on the second floor, there were two restaurants. It seemed kind of shady because there was hardly anyone in the restaurant, and it was 10:30pm. (People eat REALLY late here.) But, when we left at about 12am, the place was packed! She invited me to go to church with her on Saturday night - I was soo excited. It was just like a OneWay large group meeting, but in Spanish. It's so amazing that we worship God in many different languages, but He understands them all. Afterwards, everyone was so welcoming and excited that I was there. We talked a lot, and drank sweet mate and ate criolles.
Despues, my speaking partner, one of her friends, and I went to a little restaurant. It was getting late, (but still early for Argentines), but I went to Mooj's afterwards to meet with Shim. There was a Model United Nations Conference that weekend, and Shim's interning with OAJNU, who helped put together the conference. After the conference, they held a party. When I walked in, I thought I was going to suffocate from all the smoke. It seems like everyone in Argentina smokes! We left early, well...I think late, but I was ready to crash.
viernes, 6 de junio de 2008
Internship - Fundacion Causana, First Week
I don't know where to start. Tears flow from my eyes, just thinking how great God is.
When I walked to Fundacion Causana from the bus stop, I was a little nervous because I didn't know what to expect. I thought, Are the people there going to be nice? What if they talk too fast, and I don't understand them? What am I going to have to do? The secretary opened the door with a smile on her face. I explained that I'm the pasante, or intern. She took me to my boss, who is extremely nice. He talked about Fundacion Causana and showed me around the place.
Fundacion Causana was opened in 2000, and it is a home dedicated to providing better lives to the handicapped. There are 23 people living there, 21 youth and 2 adults, who have physical/mental disabilities. The two female women, who are older than 50, can talk, but they think they are young girls. The residents are split into 3 groups: group 1 is in the weakest condition and group 3 is in the best condition. There is more than 30 professional staff who show an incredible amount of love to all the residents there. The residents are helped with speech, hearing, senses, physical therapy, and much more. These professionals are so loving- it's incredible. Most of the residents are there because their families can't take care of them.
So, after talking to my boss, I helped group 1 out with morning activities. I was scared. I didn't know how to react to the kids. I've never actually interacted with physically/mentally handicapped people before. I didn't know how to act or what to say, so I just smiled uncomfortably while praying for God to help me know what to do. There was one boy who kept making really loud noises all day long, which really scared me for some reason...
First, they did saludos, or greetings, like Hola! Hoy es un buen dia. Estoy contenta! (Hello! Today is a good day. I am happy!) Then, we went on an excursion to show them the outdoors. We drove in a van for about an hour and saw the sierras - gosh, they were absolutely gorgeous! The kids behaved pretty well in the car. When we got back, the kids were given colacion (sp?), which is like a mid-morning healthy snack. I then helped them with putting blocks together. I felt really awkward because I didn't understand what exactly was wrong with each person. There was a really nice employee who was telling me what to do, but I got confused because he talked really fast. When he told me that I actually need to hold one of the boys hands and physically help him put the blocks together, I got nervous. I didn't know if I was holding too tightly; I didn't know if I was doing too little to help or too much.
After that, it was time for lunch. I was asked to take one of the girls to wash her hands. I started holding her arms and pulled her a little, but she didn't budge. I tugged a little harder, and she took one step. I thought it would take like 10 minutes to get to the bathroom. On top of that, I was a little scared by the way she was staring at me. One of the employees explained that if I move faster, the girl will also. So I did.
That was my first day. I arrived nervous, and I left nervous. I asked God to strengthen me so that I wouldn't be scared the following day.
On my second day, I just stayed with the two physical therapists, and learned a lot about the patients through them. I saw how they helped the patients, trying to improve their motor skills and strengthening their bodies. They spend about 45 minutes with each resident. For those whose hands curl up, they wear "ferulas," to straighten out their hands. Most of the patients have cerebral palsy combined with something else. They are just so precious. I wanted to take home a little boy of two years and just hug him for hours...
One boy came into the physical therapy room with his shoelace undone. When he was sitting/lying down, I tied his shoelace. When I stood up, the boy was holding onto my arms. Compassion filled my heart. These children are like other children - they need love.
It truly has amazed me how much love is shown to these residents. The staff treats them like they would treat their own children. They play with them, give them kisses, talk to them sweetly, clean their noses...
I left happy, thankful for all the staff there who have such warm hearts. I pray that God will show me how He wants to use me here.
God in this City
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
You're the Light in this darknes
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For greater things have yet to come
and greater things are still to be done
in this city
Greater things have yet to come
and greater things are still to be done
in this city
When I walked to Fundacion Causana from the bus stop, I was a little nervous because I didn't know what to expect. I thought, Are the people there going to be nice? What if they talk too fast, and I don't understand them? What am I going to have to do? The secretary opened the door with a smile on her face. I explained that I'm the pasante, or intern. She took me to my boss, who is extremely nice. He talked about Fundacion Causana and showed me around the place.
Fundacion Causana was opened in 2000, and it is a home dedicated to providing better lives to the handicapped. There are 23 people living there, 21 youth and 2 adults, who have physical/mental disabilities. The two female women, who are older than 50, can talk, but they think they are young girls. The residents are split into 3 groups: group 1 is in the weakest condition and group 3 is in the best condition. There is more than 30 professional staff who show an incredible amount of love to all the residents there. The residents are helped with speech, hearing, senses, physical therapy, and much more. These professionals are so loving- it's incredible. Most of the residents are there because their families can't take care of them.
So, after talking to my boss, I helped group 1 out with morning activities. I was scared. I didn't know how to react to the kids. I've never actually interacted with physically/mentally handicapped people before. I didn't know how to act or what to say, so I just smiled uncomfortably while praying for God to help me know what to do. There was one boy who kept making really loud noises all day long, which really scared me for some reason...
First, they did saludos, or greetings, like Hola! Hoy es un buen dia. Estoy contenta! (Hello! Today is a good day. I am happy!) Then, we went on an excursion to show them the outdoors. We drove in a van for about an hour and saw the sierras - gosh, they were absolutely gorgeous! The kids behaved pretty well in the car. When we got back, the kids were given colacion (sp?), which is like a mid-morning healthy snack. I then helped them with putting blocks together. I felt really awkward because I didn't understand what exactly was wrong with each person. There was a really nice employee who was telling me what to do, but I got confused because he talked really fast. When he told me that I actually need to hold one of the boys hands and physically help him put the blocks together, I got nervous. I didn't know if I was holding too tightly; I didn't know if I was doing too little to help or too much.
After that, it was time for lunch. I was asked to take one of the girls to wash her hands. I started holding her arms and pulled her a little, but she didn't budge. I tugged a little harder, and she took one step. I thought it would take like 10 minutes to get to the bathroom. On top of that, I was a little scared by the way she was staring at me. One of the employees explained that if I move faster, the girl will also. So I did.
That was my first day. I arrived nervous, and I left nervous. I asked God to strengthen me so that I wouldn't be scared the following day.
On my second day, I just stayed with the two physical therapists, and learned a lot about the patients through them. I saw how they helped the patients, trying to improve their motor skills and strengthening their bodies. They spend about 45 minutes with each resident. For those whose hands curl up, they wear "ferulas," to straighten out their hands. Most of the patients have cerebral palsy combined with something else. They are just so precious. I wanted to take home a little boy of two years and just hug him for hours...
One boy came into the physical therapy room with his shoelace undone. When he was sitting/lying down, I tied his shoelace. When I stood up, the boy was holding onto my arms. Compassion filled my heart. These children are like other children - they need love.
It truly has amazed me how much love is shown to these residents. The staff treats them like they would treat their own children. They play with them, give them kisses, talk to them sweetly, clean their noses...
I left happy, thankful for all the staff there who have such warm hearts. I pray that God will show me how He wants to use me here.
God in this City
You're the God of this city
You're the King of these people
You're the Lord of this nation
You are
You're the Light in this darknes
You're the Hope to the hopeless
You're the Peace to the restless
You are
There is no one like our God
There is no one like our God
For greater things have yet to come
and greater things are still to be done
in this city
Greater things have yet to come
and greater things are still to be done
in this city
-Chris Tomlin lyrics
Road Block!
Hay Caramba! Habia una huelga, y por eso no pudimos ir a las Cataratas de Iguazu! (There was a strike, so we didn't go to Iguazu Falls last night.) Our other friends went on the 1 o'clock bus, so they were stuck for about 4 hours on the road before they were able to pass through. Our bus was supposed to be at 7:30pm. But when we talked to the bus company at the station, they told us the bus isn't going to leave because of the road block. There are a lot of strikes going on in Argentina. You can never be sure that you're going to get to your desired destination! Haha...we had a good laugh though. We're here for about 2.5 more months, so we'll try again another weekend. As I was told, "It's another cultural experience!"
jueves, 5 de junio de 2008
All Things Bright and Beautiful...
My grandma used to sing this hymn when my sister and I were younger. Still, I remember most of the lyrics and it reminds me how great God is. Today I will be going to Iguazu Falls and have heard that it is truly breathtaking. God made those rushing falls, and he also made the little flowers outside.
"All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.
"All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.
Each little flower that opens,
Each little bird that sings,
He made their glowing colors,
He made their tiny wings.
The purple-headed mountains,
the river running by,
the sunset and the morning
that brightens up the sky.
The cold wind in the winter,
the pleasant summer sun,
the ripe fruits in the garden:
God made them every one.
God gave us eyes to see them,
and lips that we might tell
how great is God Almighty,
who has made all things well."
Words by Cecil F. Alexander
miércoles, 4 de junio de 2008
Little Summary of 1st Two Weeks
Besos...
Kiss on the cheek. That's the greeting here-and I love the love here! People are generally very warm, and it's always exciting to meet new people. I'm pretty sure that when I go back to America, I'm going to want to kiss everyone on the cheek when I see them. (A warning!)
It's Cold...
Well, it's been 2 weeks since I've been in Argentina-and I'm having a wonderful time! I have to admit, I was really homesick at first. I was cold (well, I still am) and just wanted to sit in a warm room for at least half an hour. I think I only know one of my friends who has central heating heating. That big marshmellow jacket? Yep, I wear that a lot, although recently the weather hasn't been too bad. It did snow here in Cordoba last Wednesday though! It didn't settle, but still- it snowed. I can't be sure if I've actually put on weight or not because I'm ALWAYS wearing soooo much clothing, haha.
However, in the midst of all this cold - my weakness for ice cream is really strong... One day, I was one of 3 customers in a Grido store (Una heladeria - ice cream store). One of the other customers was one of my friends.
First Impressions...
When we drove away from the airport into the Central Cordoba - I was a little sad. I felt like it was a mixture of England and India. - Not that I don't like India or England- I just expected to see something very different. There are a lot of little stores everywhere, but the city is not as clean as England. I think I expected to see old historic buildings with great architecture...but I think I'll have to go to Spain to see that! Now I've learned to love the city in all it's uniqueness. It has its own personality.
Home/Buses...
I don't live near downtown though. I live in a relatively nice neighborhood called ¨Villa Belgrano.¨ It's about a 35-40 minute bus ride to downtown, where I have my class in Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. So I thought UT was big. UNC has more than 100,000 students! Since I do live far from downtown, I spend a great deal of time just riding the bus, which can be a little bit frustrating when you have to stand the whole time and can't keep your balance! Also, I have to keep my backpack in front of me, or put a lock on it. Yeah...gotta be careful in Cordoba!
So, everytime you use the bus, it costs one cospel - they don't accept money on the bus, which is a primary method of transportation for many people. One cospel is now equivalent to 1.50 pesos. The price changed on Sunday from 1.20 pesos to 1.50 pesos. 1 dollar equals about 3 pesos. You have to buy cospeles at kiosks located all around the city. I got a card that I just put a certain amount of money on, which is the alternate to paying with cospeles. I have to ride the bus at least 3 times per day Monday-Thursday. Home to work, work to class, class to home. I will never take for granted free bus transportation in Austin!!
Nightlife...
I get tired really early - about 11ish, so it's really hard for me to see nightlife in Argentina. So in Austin, you might go out 11ish and come back 2 or 3ish. 2am is when Argentinans start going out, and they don't get back until like 7am!
I did go to a jazz concert downtown and had a wonderful time. The saxophonist and clarinist were amazing. "The Small Jazz Band" also had someone playing the banjo! Oh- one day I was on the bus, and I heard "With or Without You" by U2 playing on the radio, which reminded me of ISA Talent show rehearsals. Also, when I went to a rock cafe, some of my fav. songs were played, like Hero by Enrique Iglesias and Unchained Melody by Righteous Brothers...Mmmm, I love music.
My Host Family and Food!
I love my host mom! She is 29 years old and very caring. I have found myself having long, and actually meaningful conversations (in Spanish!) with her on different occasions. She is an amazing cook, and I we eat a healthy variety of food. So my mom sent different Indian spices, like tumeric, etc with me. One day, I came home, and my host mom had made masoor daal - one of my favorites!! She didn't even realize that she cooked it almost exactly like ma does at home. The funny part was when she asked if I wanted cheese with it. Well, I decided to do something different, and I ate it with cheese! It was actually really good.
My host mom's housemate is also extremely sweet. She worked abroad in Colorado, so she knows the challenges that one faces when you're living abroad and not fluent in the language. She's really helped me with my Spanish.
She has a dog, named Vicente, who looks like a black lab. He always stays outside the house because I'm allergic to dogs. The strange thing is, I've started to like him! He's a cute dog and very enthusiastic.
Nature...
Me encanta nature! When it's sunset here, the sky is absolutely gorgeous - una mezcla de azul y rosado (a mixture of blue and pink). I know we see this in America, but I have noticed the brilliance of the pink streaks blended into the blue sky so much more here.
Last weekend, our group went to the Jesuit Missions, which were nice to see. Then we travelled through the mountains until we got to a really nice restaurant in the middle of nowhere. There was a fire going, so we warmed ourselves up by the fireplace before sitting down.
So, I'm not sure the concept of vegetarian really exists. Argentina is the biggest meat-eating country in the world. About 5 of us told the waiters that we are vegetarians. They said, "ok!" But then they brought us ravioli with something that looked like ham. When I asked if it had meat, the waiter said, "No, no. Solamente tiene un poquito jamon!" (Which means, "It only has a a little ham.") So, they brought us something else. Guess what? This time it had chicken in it!! We had a laugh and then just ended up eating desserts.
There were also beautiful llamas right near the restaurant that you can see in my pictures.
There is so much more that I could write, but I should actually sleep now. Tomorrow I'm going to Iguazu Falls, and Monday I have an exam. I just started my internship and have a lot to write about that too.
The sun has gone to bed and so must I -from "So Long, Farewell"
Kiss on the cheek. That's the greeting here-and I love the love here! People are generally very warm, and it's always exciting to meet new people. I'm pretty sure that when I go back to America, I'm going to want to kiss everyone on the cheek when I see them. (A warning!)
It's Cold...
Well, it's been 2 weeks since I've been in Argentina-and I'm having a wonderful time! I have to admit, I was really homesick at first. I was cold (well, I still am) and just wanted to sit in a warm room for at least half an hour. I think I only know one of my friends who has central heating heating. That big marshmellow jacket? Yep, I wear that a lot, although recently the weather hasn't been too bad. It did snow here in Cordoba last Wednesday though! It didn't settle, but still- it snowed. I can't be sure if I've actually put on weight or not because I'm ALWAYS wearing soooo much clothing, haha.
However, in the midst of all this cold - my weakness for ice cream is really strong... One day, I was one of 3 customers in a Grido store (Una heladeria - ice cream store). One of the other customers was one of my friends.
First Impressions...
When we drove away from the airport into the Central Cordoba - I was a little sad. I felt like it was a mixture of England and India. - Not that I don't like India or England- I just expected to see something very different. There are a lot of little stores everywhere, but the city is not as clean as England. I think I expected to see old historic buildings with great architecture...but I think I'll have to go to Spain to see that! Now I've learned to love the city in all it's uniqueness. It has its own personality.
Home/Buses...
I don't live near downtown though. I live in a relatively nice neighborhood called ¨Villa Belgrano.¨ It's about a 35-40 minute bus ride to downtown, where I have my class in Universidad Nacional de Cordoba. So I thought UT was big. UNC has more than 100,000 students! Since I do live far from downtown, I spend a great deal of time just riding the bus, which can be a little bit frustrating when you have to stand the whole time and can't keep your balance! Also, I have to keep my backpack in front of me, or put a lock on it. Yeah...gotta be careful in Cordoba!
So, everytime you use the bus, it costs one cospel - they don't accept money on the bus, which is a primary method of transportation for many people. One cospel is now equivalent to 1.50 pesos. The price changed on Sunday from 1.20 pesos to 1.50 pesos. 1 dollar equals about 3 pesos. You have to buy cospeles at kiosks located all around the city. I got a card that I just put a certain amount of money on, which is the alternate to paying with cospeles. I have to ride the bus at least 3 times per day Monday-Thursday. Home to work, work to class, class to home. I will never take for granted free bus transportation in Austin!!
Nightlife...
I get tired really early - about 11ish, so it's really hard for me to see nightlife in Argentina. So in Austin, you might go out 11ish and come back 2 or 3ish. 2am is when Argentinans start going out, and they don't get back until like 7am!
I did go to a jazz concert downtown and had a wonderful time. The saxophonist and clarinist were amazing. "The Small Jazz Band" also had someone playing the banjo! Oh- one day I was on the bus, and I heard "With or Without You" by U2 playing on the radio, which reminded me of ISA Talent show rehearsals. Also, when I went to a rock cafe, some of my fav. songs were played, like Hero by Enrique Iglesias and Unchained Melody by Righteous Brothers...Mmmm, I love music.
My Host Family and Food!
I love my host mom! She is 29 years old and very caring. I have found myself having long, and actually meaningful conversations (in Spanish!) with her on different occasions. She is an amazing cook, and I we eat a healthy variety of food. So my mom sent different Indian spices, like tumeric, etc with me. One day, I came home, and my host mom had made masoor daal - one of my favorites!! She didn't even realize that she cooked it almost exactly like ma does at home. The funny part was when she asked if I wanted cheese with it. Well, I decided to do something different, and I ate it with cheese! It was actually really good.
My host mom's housemate is also extremely sweet. She worked abroad in Colorado, so she knows the challenges that one faces when you're living abroad and not fluent in the language. She's really helped me with my Spanish.
She has a dog, named Vicente, who looks like a black lab. He always stays outside the house because I'm allergic to dogs. The strange thing is, I've started to like him! He's a cute dog and very enthusiastic.
Nature...
Me encanta nature! When it's sunset here, the sky is absolutely gorgeous - una mezcla de azul y rosado (a mixture of blue and pink). I know we see this in America, but I have noticed the brilliance of the pink streaks blended into the blue sky so much more here.
Last weekend, our group went to the Jesuit Missions, which were nice to see. Then we travelled through the mountains until we got to a really nice restaurant in the middle of nowhere. There was a fire going, so we warmed ourselves up by the fireplace before sitting down.
So, I'm not sure the concept of vegetarian really exists. Argentina is the biggest meat-eating country in the world. About 5 of us told the waiters that we are vegetarians. They said, "ok!" But then they brought us ravioli with something that looked like ham. When I asked if it had meat, the waiter said, "No, no. Solamente tiene un poquito jamon!" (Which means, "It only has a a little ham.") So, they brought us something else. Guess what? This time it had chicken in it!! We had a laugh and then just ended up eating desserts.
There were also beautiful llamas right near the restaurant that you can see in my pictures.
There is so much more that I could write, but I should actually sleep now. Tomorrow I'm going to Iguazu Falls, and Monday I have an exam. I just started my internship and have a lot to write about that too.
The sun has gone to bed and so must I -from "So Long, Farewell"
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